Assassin Vs Assassin
by Squeebo
Summary: SLASH. Ezio/OC Ezio/Leo. Ezio learns a target of his is another assassin, as any attempt to kill the target fails, he befriends him, befriends with benefits that is.
1. Roll In The Hay

Ezio's blade sliced through the night air as silently as he moved, but his target turned, another hidden blade clashed with his as a hand held Ezio's elbow, a shoulder thumping against his chest, halting his fall and directing him to the ground.

He was winded, and shocked, but made himself stand when he heard his opponent move again, he was quick enough to deflect the blade but not to catch the fist forced into his ribs.  
He grunted, but managed to catch the arm under his, twisted and pulled his assailant against his back, quickly jerking his elbow back to wind and bending to throw the other man over his back.

In the moment it took Ezio to draw his sword the assailant leapt up, drew his sword and turned to block Ezio's attack, they separated, then surged ahead again, every attack met, every move countered and re-countered.

The clash of their blades begun to draw attention, a few late-night citizens ran calling for the guard, when one ringing strike bought them both to a stand-still, breathless and glaring.

"It seems..." The assailant was the first to speak, Ezio had never heard an accent like it. "We are at an impasse."

"Si... It would be foolish for us to continue."

"Foolish yes, but I will not be the first to lower my guard, you did attack me."

Ezio took a small step back and withdrew his sword, surprising his opponent, who mirrored the action quickly then stepped forward, offering his hand.

"Vincent Aux Deux Épées."

"Ezio Auditore de Firenze." He took Vincent's hand and shook it briefly. "You're accent..."

"French, and a pleasure it is to meet you, Monsieur."

"Strange how you could say that."

"Ah, you're right, a pleasure it is not to be killed by you. Monsieur."

Ezio chuckled, then awkwardly scratched at his chin.

"I still have to kill you."

"Assassino!"

The clatter of the guards' feet and their calls echoed through the buildings, Vincent grinned and leapt for the nearest building, grabbing a window ledge and beckoning to Ezio.

"If you can catch me, with them on your tail..."

Before Ezio had time to answer, Vincent leapt further for the ledge above him, grasping the edge of the roof one-handed and swinging himself up, pausing in a handstand to pull a face at Ezio before he dropped to his feet and disappeared over the top of the building.

Ezio swore and quickly followed Vincent's path, when he reached the roof, he noticed Vincent standing almost 4 buildings away, and, Ezio couldn't believe it, waving an arm in the air, the guards he must have passed completely ignorant to his being there.

"This isn't a game... what is he thinking?"

"Where is he? Go that way!"

He was silent, careful and swift as he crept along the rooftops, he ducked behind chimneys and dropped onto ledges where he could, all the while trying to keep Vincent in view and staying out of the guards' sight.  
He was one rooftop away when Vincent turned, winked and gave a shout. Ezio turned to notice the 6 or so guards all notice him at once, then turned again to see that Vincent had seemed to disappear altogether. The guards shouted, and arrows flew past him, he began to run, looking all about him for somewhere to hide.

"_Down, Ezio."_

He was startled off-course by Vincent's voice and as he looked wildly around for the Frenchman he lost his footing and slipped from the roof, landing unceremoniously in a large pile of hay.

"Dio mio."

He laid in the straw, eyes closed and breathless, listening intently for the guards. Their shouts were distant, they had not followed him.

Soon he could only hear his heart beating wildly, almost stopping when the hay around him moved, he didn't dare open his eyes, hand ready to draw his hidden blade.

"Respite, Ezio?"

He opened them to see Vincent above him, a smug smile on his face, hay in his hair.

"How did you do that?"

Vincent didn't reply, just pushed Ezio's hood back and watched him with the slight twist of a grin on his lips. Ezio frowned and broke the gaze by looking away, embarrassed at such attention. He shifted up onto his elbows, turning to move, only for a hand to rest on his shoulder and pull him back, his voice a whisper.

"You don't like to be looked at?"

Ezio gave a mirthless laugh.

"I'm an assassin, I'm not supposed to be seen, especially by the people I am meant to kill!"

A finger pressed against Ezio's lips.

"Sh. You want them to find us?"

"This isn't a game..." Ezio said, repeating himself quietly.

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun."

Ezio frowned and Vincent chuckled, leaning down and pressing a kiss on Ezio's brow, causing the younger assassin to look at him with wide, questioning eyes.  
In answer, Vincent only grinned, swinging one leg over Ezio's waist and kissing his lips softly. When he pulled away, Ezio's frown had softened.

"You are insane..."

Vincent shrugged, then let his hands rest upon Ezio's chest, fingers touching at the various straps and buckles of his armour.

"Ah."

"I can tell you didn't think this through."

"No... no, you're right, I didn't."

Vincent leaned up a little and slid his hands down Ezio's torso, watching Ezio blush as his fingertips pulled the fabric of his shirt free of his thighs.

"But then, things often work out..."

Vincent grinned devilishly as he slid a palm further down, resting softly over the half-hard bulge in the younger assassin's trousers. Ezio blushed again as Vincent began to softly palm at his erection, his breath caught and his heart began to beat quickly.  
He groaned, then gasped as his mouth was captured in a deep kiss, a warm, sweet tongue sweeping against his while the hand at his cock now grasped and stroked.

Ezio gasped deeply when he felt Vincent's skin against his own, a strong grip around him, squeezing and stroking rhythmically, the kiss had moved from his lips to his neck, sucking his heated skin and nipping at tender flesh.  
Vincent lapped at Ezio's earlobe and the younger man shivered, eyes closing tight and mouth open, desperate and choked gasps were the only sound coming from him.

"_That's it."_

Ezio groaned aloud as climax hit, his hips jerked and his hands grasped, one in Vincent's shirt, the other at a handful of hay, his body shuddering as Vincent continued to stroke until his seed no longer came.

"Mio dio..."

He felt a soft kiss on his brow and a hand over his eyes.

"Rest now, mon amant."


	2. Chapter 2

The morning bought a mist and a chill over Venezia and as such, luckily for Ezio, not many people were about on the street as the assassin darted through the alleys, quickly and with less care than usual.

He felt embarrassed, ashamed, betrayed, dirty. He scanned the street, thanking God for one moment as he saw an alcove he recognised. He rushed quickly across the square and thumped quickly upon the door.

A hesitant clicking from the other side was all he heard and he barged the door open, his face flushed and chest heaving with frustration.

He stormed to the back of the workshop, behind the screen Leonardo set up for his models and began to divest himself of his armour and soiled clothes.

"Quel bastardo! Traditore, vigliacco bastardo!"

"Something wrong, amico mio?"

"I should've killed him."

"Who?"

"Un bastardo francese!"

Leonardo frowned and stood in front of the screen.

"Frenchman?"  
"He must have been an assassin and said nothing! I can't believe I -" Ezio's voice trailed off, his tone softening after a short breath. "Leonardo... do you have something I could borrow?"

"Of course, wait one moment."

In the time Leonardo took to fetch some spare clothes, Ezio had calmed, realising that he was mostly annoyed with himself, having allowed himself to be seduced and tricked, he was quite surprised to realise his money pouch had not been taken.

"Ezio...?"

Leonardo returned with clothing in hand, looking with concern as the younger Italian sat upon a bench putting his head in his hands.

"Io sono così idiota..."

"You are not. We can all be betrayed..." The artist sat with Ezio, passing the clothes into the assassin's hands. "Here. Was he a friend?"

"Grazie. No. He was a target, and I allowed him to... to -" He blushed at the memory. "I let him get away."

Leonardo held Ezio's shoulder.

"You can find him again?"

"I don't think I can... he... he can move like nothing I've ever seen before." Ezio rubbed his eyes with an aggravated sound. "And he could speak as if he was in my head."

Leonardo frowned, patted Ezio once and stood up to collect the assassin's clothes.

"Get dressed, Ezio, try not to think on it, you can rest here. I will get your clothes cleaned."

"Grazie, Leonardo. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The artist blushed, then coughed and waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Prego. It's my pleasure to help you."

The day passed with little incident, Ezio had busied himself for a while, Leonardo, Ezio found, was quite erratic in his way. He would spend a moment sketching, only to put everything down and leave the workshop without a single word, only to come back and pick up a painting he had to deliver to a buyer.

The artist was in and out more times than Ezio could count, and it wasn't until much later in the day that the artist set up easel and paints and sat down. Ezio then sat at a window-seat and watched as Leonardo worked, having never watched the artist concentrate on anything more than a codex page.

"Dio!"

He leapt up and rushed to the stool that held his armour and weapons, cursing and pleading under his breath as he rummaged through his carrying pouches. Leonardo, startled, put his brush down and followed with intrigue.

"What's wrong?"

"The codex page! I had one to bring you and - cazzo-!"

He threw down the clothing in his hand and ran both hands through his hair.

"He took it, the codex page."

Ezio growled in frustration and threw the armour aside.

"I should not have trusted him, should not have let him touch me!"

The assassin cursed again, taking quick, determined strides across the workshop floor, he was stopped when he reached the door by a hand at his shoulder, he turned sharply and grabbed at it, momentarily blinded by his anger.

When met with pained blue eyes, he faltered, anger dissolving into something not as violent but equally unpleasant. He released Leonardo's hand and dropped his head.

"Mi dispiace..."

The artist rubbed at his wrist and gave a smile.

"I had to stop you..."

Hesitantly, Leonardo reached for Ezio again, with no movement from the assassin, he laid his hand gently on Ezio's shoulder.

"You would have run out there half-nude."

There was a small laugh and Ezio took a step forward and rested his head on Leonardo's shoulder.

The artist wrapped his arms around Ezio's shoulders, ignoring the hitches in his breath, gently placing one hand on the back of his head, in an attempt to soothe.

A moment passed, Ezio calmed, but neither man moved, Leonardo spoke calmly, but seriously.

"Did he hurt you, Ezio?"

At the question, Ezio winced, in his anger he had said too much and he could hear a dull sadness in Leonardo's voice, a slight tone of suspicion, maybe anger, underlying it.

"I care for you, amico mio, if he did anything-"

"No, nothing happened."

Ezio pulled away, avoiding Leonardo's eyes, his manner closed.

"Grazie for your care, Leonardo, but he did not hurt me."

The assassin sighed, whether through tiredness, aanger or disappointment, Leonardo couldn't tell, he knew better than to press the subject.

He held Ezio's shoulder once more and gently pushed him to the stairs of the workshop.

"Go, sleep. I imagine your clothing will be delivered in the morning."

Ezio thanked the artist again, unaware of the saddened eyes following him up the stairs.

The artist sighed and picked up his cloak, pulling it around his shoulders as he left the workshop.


	3. Chapter 3

Ezio slept comfortably until a knocking at the workshop door woke him. The room was striped with sunlight beaming through the slatted windows, the air was filled with the smell and sound of the market place.

Another, louder knock prompted Ezio to get up, he grumbled as he left the bed and descended the stairs. The third knock was interrupted as he opened the door.

"Signore..." A short older woman stood and looked at Ezio with surprise. "Oh... is Signore Leonardo in?"

Ezio frowned, he wondered what the time was, looked around the workshop, wondered where Leonardo was.

"I don't know where he is."

She tutted and shook her head, passing a neatly-tied bundle into Ezio's hands.

"When he returns, give him these, they are the clothes he wanted cleaned."

"Si, of course, Grazie..."

"Prego, buongiorno!"

The lady turned and walked away as Ezio closed the door, he put the bundle on the table and surveyed the room, and felt an unpleasant hollowness in his stomach as he realised nothing in the room had been moved since the night before.

He untied the bundle and began to dress, pulling on his trousers quickly and throwing off the borrowed white shirt.

"Bonjour, mon amant."

Ezio turned in surprise, reeling sideways into the work table, the rest of his clothes spilling to the floor.  
He saw Vincent's grin for only a second before he charged forward, a fist flying only to meet with the Frenchman's hand.

He bought his other elbow round, jamming it into Vincent's side and pushing him from the artist's stool into a heap on the ground. Ezio jumped to attack, only to have the other assassin's foot meet his gut, a hard kick that sent him crashing into the legs of the easel. Vincent avoided the falling apparatus and stood, drawing his sword as Ezio twisted on the floor and grabbed the dagger from his own armour, twisting in time to knock back Vincent's advancing blade.

Ezio stood, stepping into the space he'd made, he thrust his short blade forwards, only for Vincent to grab his wrist and turn him, wrenching his arm up his back, the dagger falling from his fingers as Vincent's sword met his throat.

The Frenchman held his mouth close to Ezio's ear.

"Have I angered you?"

Ezio's voice wavered, nervous of the blade, never having been the one behind it's threat.

"You stole something of mine."

He heard a soft chuckle and tensed as he felt a kiss at his jaw.

"I will look after your heart, mon amant."

The Italian growled, twisting hard, only for his arm to be wrenched painfully.  
"Ah, ah. Now, mon cher, I know exactly what you want and I am willing to give it to you."

Ezio stilled, a frown creasing his brow in confusion.

Vincent grinned, he released Ezio's hand and lowered the sword, sheathing it as Ezio stepped away, nursing the sore red line across his throat.

He watched as Vincent produced the codex page from a pouch upon his belt and opened it, his grin never falling.

"No one would buy it, no one knew the language upon it..."

Ezio choked a laugh.

"You are a thief." He held out his hand for the codex. "It is a code."

Vincent looked impressed, stepping closer to Ezio and placing the codex in his hand.  
The last sound Ezio made was a muffled noise of surprise as Vincent's mouth took his in a soft but eager kiss.

The Frenchman's hands had made their way up, one resting upon Ezio's chest, the other sliding onto the back of his neck, fingertips pushing into his hair.

Ezio softened into the kiss, sinking back against the table behind him, dropping the codex to keep himself upright.

When they broke apart Vincent's hands fell to Ezio's hips, thumbs gently stroking at the skin above his trousers as he pressed soft kisses at Ezio's jaw.

"I hadn't considered you an intellectual... you do keep surprising me, mon amant."

"I don't decode it... Leon-"

He suddenly froze, looking into Vincent's eyes, the sharp knowing gleam within them made his stomach drop, he snarled and pushed Vincent away roughly.

"Where is Leonardo?"

"Not an intellectual but certainly sharp."

Ezio stormed the gap between them and grabbed Vincent's shirt in his fists, shaking him roughly.

"Where is he?!"

Vincent remained quiet, a calculating gleam in his eyes that made Ezio retreat, fearing and hating. The Italian dropped his hands, turning away, picking up and pulling on his clothes, he stilled once more when Vincent stood behind him, wrapping arms around his waist, hands resting on his hips.

"If you can find him... I will leave you." He laid gentle kisses at Ezio's shoulder. "I will leave you and your loving artiste..."

Ezio pulled away from Vincent's arms, dressing himself in the rest of his armour. Vincent watched with disappointment.

"I see your heart is already well-looked after."

The Italian paused, frowning at the Frenchman in questioning.

"Scusi? What are you talking about?"

Vincent looked in surprise.

"As soon as he said your name, I knew he loved you... and you are unaware?"

"He doesn't... you're lying... you're trying to toy with my emotions, but that will not work."

"As it seems, you have none to toy with."

Ezio continued with his armour, quiet and curt, replacing his weapons and the codex page, all the while avoiding Vincent's gaze.

"Where is he?"

Vincent made his way to the door, opening it and looking back at Ezio once more, his cruel smile back on his face.

"His horse is suited to him, find his horse."


End file.
